In step

[RiverOL]

Truthful
Morning Encounter:
Read:
You know that our ancestors were told, “Don’t use the Lord’s name to make a promise unless you are going to keep it.” But I tell you not to swear by anything when you make a promise! Heaven is God’s throne, so don’t swear by heaven. The earth is God’s footstool, so don’t swear by the earth. Jerusalem is the city of the great king, so don’t swear by it. Don’t swear by your own head. You cannot make one hair white or black. When you make a promise, say only “Yes” or “No.” Anything else comes from the devil.
(Matthew 5.33-37)

Reflect:
‘Swearing an oath’ was a big deal in Jesus’ day to and added weight to a proposition or argument. This isn’t on the surface about taking God’s name in vain. It’s about truthfulness. It’s about coercion, manipulation and impressing others to control them. Jesus says this is inherently wrong because it demonstrates a lacks of respect for the dignity of other people. Therefore he advocates the simplicity of an honest ‘yes’ or ‘no’. James picks this up in his letter when says: ‘My friends, above all else, don’t take an oath. You must not swear by heaven or by earth or by anything else. “Yes” or “No” is all you need to say. If you say anything more, you will be condemned.’ (James 5.12)

Respond:
A prayer: ‘Lord God, help my speech honour you today. Help me to speak well, with respect and love and without the need to coerce, manipulate or impress others.’

Midday Meditation:
‘In the kingdom of God we begin by putting away falsehood, but as apprentices of Jesus much more is expected of our speech. Telling the truth is a great start, but as we move further into kingdom living we begin to use our tongues to bless and encourage.’
(James Bryan Smith The Good and Beautiful Life)

Evening Reflection:
By your teachings, Lord, I am warned; by obeying them, I am greatly rewarded.
None of us know our faults. Forgive me when I sin without knowing it.
Don’t let me do wrong on purpose, Lord, or let sin have control over my life.

Then I will be innocent, and not guilty of some terrible fault.
Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, Lord, because you are my mighty rock and my protector.
(From Psalm 19)

 

[RiverOL]

Good Guilt—Bad guilt

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."1

Guilt, false guilt, and shame can all look alike but they're not. For instance true guilt says you have done something wrong or bad, while shame says you are bad; that is, you are a bad person.

With real guilt, if you know you've done something wrong, and confess it and make restitution, the feeling of guilt goes away. If it doesn't, it may be false guilt or shame you are struggling with.

You can confess false guilt forever, but that will never resolve it because it isn't guilt. It is a conditioned response learned mostly in earlier years.

It can come from parents, siblings, and even from some rigid churches, sad to say.

Some of it, at least, works like this: "If you do what I want you to do, behave the way I want you to behave, conform to what I want, and even believe what I want you to believe, I will give you my love and approval. If you don't do these things, I will withhold my love and approval and make you feel guilty. Or if you do things I don't like, I will make you feel ashamed with my 'shame on you' statements and attitude." Or if a child was sexually violated or abused he or she may feel shame-based.

False guilt and shame are destructive ways of controlling other people. Both are psychologically damaging. To overcome these, a recovery program or counseling is often needed.

As I understand it, guilt in the Bible is a legal—not a feeling—entity. If we have sinned and done wrong, we are guilty regardless of what we feel. Its purpose is not to make us feel that we are bad persons or to shame us, but to inform us that we have done wrong and that there are always consequences. The feeling response we ought to feel when we have done wrong is Godly sorrow. This is to motivate us to come to Jesus Christ for his salvation and forgiveness, wherever possible to put right the wrongs we have done, and to genuinely repent of (turn away from) sinful actions.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me never to use false guilt or shame to control anyone. Also, help me to resolve any feelings of false guilt and shame that I may have and therein experience your unconditional love, forgiveness, and affirmation at the very core of my being. If there is any real guilt in my life, help me to see it, to seek your forgiveness for it, and wherever possible put right any wrongs that I have done. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Revenge Well
Morning Encounter:
Read:
You know that you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles. When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.
(Matthew 5.38-42)

Reflect:
Jesus quotes from the Mosaic law about proportionate retribution which protected against excessive revenge. He then goes on to offer illustrations with unique responses to regular disputes in his day. These are not laws to be obeyed, but examples of how someone who knows they are securely loved by God might respond. This doesn’t mean people can abuse us or treat us unfairly – but we should consider how to respond in the light of being loved, protected and provided for by our Father.

Respond:
Are you in a dispute or a challenging situation? Have you been treated unfairly? How might God want you to respond in the light of his ultimate love and care for you?

Midday Meditation:
‘Because forgiveness is like this: a room can be dank because you have closed the windows, you've closed the curtains. But the sun is shining outside, and the air is fresh outside. In order to get that fresh air, you have to get up and open the window and draw the curtains apart.’
(Desmond Tutu)

Evening Reflection:
Our Lord, you are King! Majesty and power are your royal robes.
You put the world in place, and it will never be moved.
You have always ruled, and you are eternal.
The ocean is roaring, Lord! The sea is pounding hard.
Its mighty waves are majestic, but you are more majestic, and you rule over all.
Your decisions are firm, and your temple will always be beautiful and holy.
(Psalm 93)

 

[RiverOL]

Is Tithing Still Valid Today?

Jesus said, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth [a tithe] of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."1

Here Jesus is confirming that tithing is still as valid in New Testament times as it was in Old Testament days.

"For a number of years, The Barna Group (research specialists) has been following the practice of 'tithing,' which is donating at least ten percent of one's income. While Christians dispute whether tithing refers to giving the entire ten percent to churches or whether that sum may include money donated to churches and other non-profit entities, the survey data reveal that no matter how it is defined, very few Americans tithed in 2004. Only 4% gave such an amount to churches alone; just 6% gave to either churches or to a combination of churches and para church ministries."2

If every Christian tithed his or her income and "invested" it wisely in God's work, all of God's work on earth would be done. In addition to new churches being established, the starving would be fed, the cold would be dressed warmly, the oppressed would be cared for, the homeless would be sheltered, orphans would be nurtured, and every person on earth would be presented with the gospel. All of these things are a vital part of God's will being "done on earth."3

And how does God say (not suggest) his work on earth should be financed? By every Christian giving at least a tenth of his or her income and donating it for God's work—for God's work, that is, not for building religious empires or to churches or religious organizations that do not faithfully proclaim the whole counsel and/or Word of God.

Think of it. Only six out of every 100 Christians—American Christians that is—tithed their income to help with God's work on earth. That's only 60 out of every 1,000. Certainly many families are struggling, some people are out of work, and many single parents are scraping to get by, but not 940 out of every 1,000 Christians, and we are among the wealthiest people on earth. Unbelievable! Could this be one reason why we are experiencing such a moral decline and national decay?

Our pocketbook is an indicator of where our heart and priorities are,4 whether we are givers or takers, whether we acknowledge the fact that it is "God who gives the ability to produce wealth,"5 and whether we are grateful or otherwise for all that God has done for us, not the least of which being what Jesus did by coming to earth as a man to die on the cross in our place to give us a full and free pardon and a home in heaven for all eternity.

If you are not a tither, I urge you to become one today and start tithing with your very next paycheck. As Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." Also, what we give is a reflection of the depth of our gratitude for all the incredible blessings we receive and have received from God.

Remember, too, that when tithing to further God's work on earth, there is a promise of blessing from God. His Word says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!"6

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in gratitude for all you have done for me in giving your very life to save me for all eternity, I make a commitment today that as long as I am earning an income, I will tithe at least ten percent of all that I make—starting this week. Please direct me to place my tithe and offerings in ministry/ies that are truly doing your work on earth. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Love Your Enemies
Morning Encounter:
Read:
You have heard people say, “Love your neighbours and hate your enemies.” But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends. If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that? Don’t even unbelievers do that? But you must always act like your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5.43-48)

Reflect:
‘Love your neighbour’ is recognisably part of the Great Commandment, but Jesus includes love for enemies. It is a call to act well towards those who treat us badly and to pray for them. In this way we act like our Father who regularly gives good things to those who love him and those who don’t. Loving only those who love us is expected, but to love those who don’t love us marks us out as distinctly different. Jesus at the cross offered these words to his enemies ‘forgive them Father…’ Jesus invites us into a new way of love and living that transcends the usual course of relationships.

Respond:
Who do you need to pray for and show love to today? Where can you break down barriers and move out of your comfort zone to love people who are different to you?

Midday Meditation:
‘We can know that we will be taken care of, no matter what. We can be vulnerable because we are, in the end, simply invulnerable. And once we have broken the power of anger and desire over our lives, we know that the way of Christ in response to personal injury and imposition is always the easier way. It is the only way that allows us to move serenely in the midst of harm and beyond it.’
(Dallas Willard The Divine Conspiracy)

Evening Reflection:
But first, you must start respecting the Sabbath as a joyful day of worship.
You must stop doing and saying whatever you please on this special day.
Then you will truly enjoy knowing the Lord.

He will let you rule from the highest mountains and bless you with the land
of your ancestor Jacob.
The Lord has spoken!
(Isaiah 58.13-14)

 

[RiverOL]

The Weakness of the "Strong"

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock."1

It happens in clubs, churches, at work, on committees, and pretty much wherever people are involved in any kind of work or planning group. Often there is at least one so-called strong person who has a need to be in control—and "lord it" over the others.

The fact is that some of the people we call strong; that is, domineering and controlling people, are anything but strong. They are control freaks because they are immature and insecure. The only way they feel secure is when they are in control. They are difficult to work with, to plan with, and even more so to live with.

Jesus gives us the perfect example on how to live and lead. He always spoke with authority but was never authoritarian or controlling. He had true strength, which never has a need to control or lord it over others.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please deliver me from the sin of controlling and seeking to 'lord it over others.' If I should ever do this, help me to see that this is not a sign of strength but a symptom of weakness and insecurity, and then get the help I need to overcome my problem. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. 1 Peter 5:2-3 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Secret Giving
Morning Encounter:
Introduction
Welcome to our second week exploring the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus deals with some of the big questions of his day – and of ours today. What is the good life? How do I live well? How do I become a good person? What we have in the ‘Sermon’ is a set of statements made by Jesus on how to live in the Kingdom of God, for now and for all eternity. Follow along this week as we dip into the greatest sermon ever told by the greatest person who ever lived.

Read:
When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to the poor, don’t blow a loud horn. That’s what show-offs do in the meeting places and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know about it. Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret, and he will reward you.
(Matthew 6.1-4)

Reflect:
It was common practice to give money to the synagogue, which would then be passed onto the poor and needy. It was also common for a significant gift to be acknowledged. Jesus isn’t criticising public giving- he is questioning the motive. If we give to be recognised and praised by others then we will get the ‘reward’ of their applause. When we live for the ‘audience of one’ and not for the applause of others, then God will reward what we do for him.

Respond:
Find ways to practice generosity today. Tip double, leave an anonymous gift for someone, make someone’s day a little easier and do it all secretly. Do it for the audience of one.

Midday Meditation:
‘When we do good deeds to be seen by human beings that is because what we are looking for is something that comes from human beings. God responds to our expectations accordingly. When we want human approval and esteem, and do what we do for the sake of it, God courteously stands aside because, by our wish, it does not concern him.’
(Dallas Willard The Divine Conspiracy)

Evening Reflection:
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

 

[RiverOL]

“Thy love to me was wonderful.”

2 Samuel 1:26

Come, dear readers, let each one of us speak for himself of the wonderful love, not of Jonathan, but of Jesus. We will not relate what we have been told, but the things which we have tasted and handled-of the love of Christ. Thy love to me, O Jesus, was wonderful when I was a stranger wandering far from thee, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Thy love restrained me from committing the sin which is unto death, and withheld me from self-destruction. Thy love held back the axe when Justice said, “Cut it down! why cumbereth it the ground?” Thy love drew me into the wilderness, stripped me there, and made me feel the guilt of my sin, and the burden of mine iniquity. Thy love spake thus comfortably to me when, I was sore dismayed — “Come unto me, and I will give thee rest.”

Oh, how matchless thy love when, in a moment, thou didst wash my sins away, and make my polluted soul, which was crimson with the blood of my nativity, and black with the grime of my transgressions, to be white as the driven snow, and pure as the finest wool. How thou didst commend thy love when thou didst whisper in my ears, “I am thine and thou art mine.” Kind were those accents when thou saidst, “The Father himself loveth you.” And sweet the moments, passing sweet, when thou declaredst to me “the love of the Spirit.”

Never shall my soul forget those chambers of fellowship where thou has unveiled thyself to me. Had Moses his cleft in the rock, where he saw the train, the back parts of his God? We, too, have had our clefts in the rock, where we have seen the full splendours of the Godhead in the person of Christ. Did David remember the tracks of the wild goat, the land of Jordan and the Hermonites? We, too, can remember spots to memory dear, equal to these in blessedness. Precious Lord Jesus, give us a fresh draught of thy wondrous love to begin the month with. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Secret Prayer
Morning Encounter:
Read:
When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you. When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask.
(Matthew 6.5-8)

Reflect:
Jesus is advocating simple, private prayer which defeats the temptation to show-off or to try and be sophisticated in prayer. Not that we should never pray in public, but along with fasting and giving Jesus encourages us towards secrecy, intimacy and honesty before the Father. It is in the ‘secret place’ that we find God. Jesus also warns us against mechanical, thoughtless prayer – the Father longs for interactive conversation about what we are thinking and doing together.

Respond:
Try to find time and secret space to be with God throughout this day. Tell him about frustrating situations, people and circumstances in your life. Tell him your joys and hopes. Share it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. The Scriptures provide precedent for all kinds of prayers and the Father loves our honesty.


Midday Meditation:
“Simple prayer is necessary, even essential, to the spiritual life. The only way we move beyond ‘self-centered prayer’ (if indeed we ever do) is by going through it, not by making a detour around it.”
(Richard Foster Prayer: Finding The Heart’s True Home)

Evening Reflection:
I lay my head to rest
and in doing so lay at your feet
the faces I have seen
the voices I have heard
the words I have spoken
the hands I have shaken

the service I have given
the joys I have shared
the sorrows revealed
I lay them at your feet
and in doing so
lay my head to rest

 

[RiverOL]

A Relationship > A Rule

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track—Proverbs 3:6

We men like formulas. We like bullet points. We like bright lines. They make life easier. They cut through mystery and doubt. We’d love it if such things could govern our relationships with God. They would make following him easier, too. At least, we think they would. So we try to create them. It starts innocently: Someone seeks God and finds him—through a specific prayer or practice, or through a particular way of studying Scripture or being in community or doing service. But, then, that person decides that’s “the” way to find God. Others are persuaded, of course, because they want to find God too. And a formula is born, a bullet point, a bright line, a rule about how our relationships with God must look.

The thing is, while God never changes (James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), our relationships with him do. They’re ever changing, ever challenging (2 Corinthians 3:18). There’s always more with God. There’s always mystery. And there’s always something new. But because we fear change and fear being challenged, we often cling to what’s worked in the past or what’s worked for someone else. We create a rule, repeat a ritual, but we may not grow and mature in our relationships with God.



“Don’t set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do”(Matthew 23:8-10 MSG).

Set aside some time to pray and to listen. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Ask where you might find him next—maybe in Scripture; maybe through serving; or on a short-term mission trip; or out in his creation; or something else. Let him guide your thoughts. Let himkeep you on track.

 

[RiverOL]

Secret Fasting
Morning Encounter:
Read:
When you go without eating, don’t try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward. Instead, comb your hair and wash your face. Then others won’t know that you are going without eating. But your Father sees what is done in private, and he will reward you.
(Matthew 6.16-18)

Reflect:
A strict Pharisee would fast twice a week and he would make sure that others knew about it! They would look gloomy and even apply ash or some other substance to mark their face so that others would know they were fasting. There are no biblical laws that command fasting (abstaining from our usual foods or drinks for a limited time) however it is a practice that Jesus expects us to continue today.

Respond:
Consider a time of fasting this week – from food or perhaps from technology, or even from people so that we can be with God in solitude.

Midday Meditation:
‘Fasting is a wonderful way to humble ourselves because it reminds us of our dependence upon God.’
(Dallas Willard)

Evening Reflection:
I remember to think about the many things you did in years gone by.
Then I lift my hands in prayer, because my soul is a desert, thirsty for water from you.
Please hurry, Lord, and answer my prayer.

I feel hopeless. Don’t turn away and leave me here to die.
Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you.
I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance.
(From Psalm 143)

 

[RiverOL]

Winning over Temptation

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."1

Temptation! A very common problem for all mankind and is something we all struggle with at one time or another—and perhaps will always struggle with it in this life. As God's Word reminds us, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."2 Furthermore, "But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."3

So the question we ask today is, "How can we win over temptation?"

First, at the beginning of every day pray this prayer with sincerity: "Dear God, again today I commit and trust my life and way to you, please help me to become the person you want me to be, and help me live today to glorify you in everything I do."

Second, avoid going to places where you know very well you will most likely face temptation.

Third, temptation gets ahold of us in our thoughts. Realize that what the mind dwells on the body acts on, so guard your thinking. My number one defense for changing my thinking, when facing temptation, is to keep repeating the following statement: "Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and is Lord of my life." As long as I concentrate my thoughts on Jesus Christ as being Lord of my life, shortly my thinking changes and the temptation dissipates.

Furthermore, Satan and his demons hate hearing the statement that Jesus Christ is Lord and that he is the Son of the Living God.

As God's Word advises, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."4

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I confess that my flesh is weak so please help me to remember when I face temptation, that no matter what the temptation is, you always provide a way of escape so that I won't be overcome. Help me to remember at such times to confirm in my thoughts and words that 'Jesus Christ is Lord and is Lord of my life,' and in so doing, with your help, overcome any and all temptations. Thank you for providing this way of escape and for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Matthew 26:41 (NIV).
2. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV).
3. James 1:13-15 (NIV).
4. Philippians 4:8 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Treasures
Morning Encounter:
Read:
Don’t store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will always be where your treasure is. Your eyes are like a window for your body. When they are good, you have all the light you need. But when your eyes are bad, everything is dark. If the light inside you is dark, you surely are in the dark. You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
(Matthew 6.19-24)

Reflect:
In this collection of Scriptures that connect with the theme of ‘treasure’ – the things we truly value, Jesus is really talking about loyalty more than how much we have. The danger of ‘treasures’ is that our loyalties may be compromised and divided. Again it’s the inner motive that matters – you can be externally poor and love God, you can also be wealthy and still have a kingdom heart. But you can only truly have one master.

Respond:
Find time today or later on this week to practice letting go of things. You might like to give a book or CD you own to someone else. You might consider clothes or other things you no longer need and give them to charity. What possession might God ask you to part with?

Midday Meditation:
‘If not to God, you will surrender to the opinions or expectations of others, to money, to resentment, to fear, or to your own pride, lusts, or ego. You were designed to worship God and if you fail to worship Him, you will create other things (idols) to give your life to. You are free to choose, what you surrender to but you are not free from the consequence of that choice.’
(Rick Warren What On Earth Am I Here For?)


Evening Reflection:
Christ be in my waking, as the sun is rising,
In my day of working, with me every hour.
Christ be in my resting, as the day is ending,
Calming and refreshing, watching through the night.

Jesus, this is my devotion: All my life to know You,
Every day to walk with You.

Saviour, You’re my deepest longing,
You’re the One I live for, teach me, Lord, to walk with You.
(Stuart Townend Christ Be In My Waking)

 

[RiverOL]

Good News: I'm Fired

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."1

In his commencement address to Stanford's 2005 graduating class, Steven Jobs, founder of Apple Computer, shared how he and his friend, Woz, started Apple in his garage and within ten years it grew to a $2 billion company. He also shared how he was fired from his own organization and in his words, "I didn't see it then, but getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

"During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, and another company named Pixar. Pixar went on to create the world's first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance."2

Not to the same degree by any means, but in a similar way this is how ACTS was started. At the time I was the South Australian director of a well-known youth organization. I changed our approach to ministry by commencing direct mail evangelism and included reaching adults as well as teenagers. I was told by the powers that be that my ministry didn't fit the required role and was asked to either give up my ministry, stay with the current methods (which weren't working that great anyhow), or get out of the organization. I chose the latter. It, too, was the best thing that happened to me at the time—as frightening as it was. Like you, I've been through other seeming crises, too, which have all turned out far better than I could have ever dreamed or hoped for.

So, if it seems like your world is crumbling around you and your life is truly committed to God and his will for your life, choose to trust your life to him, and, in time, you too will discover that all things do work together for good for "those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for every crisis in my life that you have made to work for good, and turned into a blessing beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Worry
Morning Encounter:
Read:
I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds? Can worry make you live longer? Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of them. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow.

He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith? Don’t worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.

(Matthew 6.25-34)
Reflect:
Following on from Jesus’ teaching about money and treasures, the sermon now turns to worry and anxiety. If our treasure is material possessions, then we will be anxious and worry. Jesus turns our thoughts to nature. If God cares for the birds and provides for them – won’t he provide also for us? We are not to be lazy: the birds are busy gathering food and shelter as they require it – but they don’t stress and worry.

Respond:
Paul connects worrying to prayer in Philippians 4.6-7. Take time to bring your worries to God today. Do what you can in each situation and hand the rest over to him. Take some time to watch the birds also if you can.

Midday Meditation:
‘Worry keeps me focused on my own limited resources. Trust keeps my attention on God’s abundant resources.’
(James Bryan Smith The Good and Beautiful Life)

Evening Reflection:
Let me be reborn in you and see through you the world in the right way, so that all my actions, words, thoughts can become a hymn of praise to you. I need your loving grace to travel on this hard road that leads to the death of my old self and to a new life in and for you. I know and trust that this is the road to freedom. Lord, dispel my mistrust and help me become a trusting friend. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Preparation for Eternity

"Prepare to meet your God."1

"I came home from work last evening," said David E. Leininger a while ago, "greeted the family, changed clothes, and began reading the mail. The Newsweekmagazine was there, so I began flipping through it. Early on I came to this rather striking ad: it said, '… You're DEAD. What do you do now? Just for a minute, think the unthinkable. Think about when suddenly you're not there.'2 And then the ad goes on to try to sell life insurance. Years ago, a friend of mine who was an insurance agent would approach potential clients on the street and say, 'I had a dream about you last night … I dreamt you died … and you didn't have insurance!' The amazing thing to me is that his approach actually worked—he made a fine living."3

I find it interesting that the first thing many people read in the daily newspaper is the obituary notices. I don't know why except it is an admission of sorts that death is a fact of life.

Other people avoid reading the obituary notices altogether as they don't want to even begin to think of death. This is sad because sooner or later it happens to us all. In younger days death seemed a lifetime away—and it was. The years passed, then my father died, then my mother, then my oldest sister … and now, along with my younger sisters, I'm next in line. Dying doesn't bother me, but the process can be frightening if one should lose his or her health and, especially, his or her mind. Over that we have little or no control.

However, what we do have control over is life after death. Should you have a dream tonight that you died, what would happen to you? Where would you spend eternity if this were a reality and not a dream? Better still, where will you spend eternity when it is a reality?

God has an insurance plan exactly for this purpose and it is totally without charge to you. You can read about it by clicking on: http://tinyurI.com/real-christian and read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian—Without Having to Be Religious."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for letting me know in your Word that I need to be prepared to meet you at the end of my life here on earth. And thank you for showing me the way you have provided for such preparation by accepting your Son, Jesus, as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Judging Others
Morning Encounter:
Read:
Don’t condemn others, and God won’t condemn you. God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them. You can see the speck in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the log in your own eye. How can you say, “My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye,” when you don’t see the log in your own eye? You’re nothing but show-offs! First, take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend’s eye. Don’t give to dogs what belongs to God. They will only turn and attack you. Don’t throw pearls down in front of pigs. They will trample all over them.
(Matthew 7.1-6)

Reflect:
Just as pigs can’t eat pearls, so people find it hard to digest condemnation and judgement. People who feel judged quickly go on the defensive; they get angry and they judge back. People may receive loving correction or critique if they ask for it – but only God can truly judge others. Judgement alienates, excludes, and separates. Correction and critique when invited or requested by an individual should always be done in love, in relationship and seeking restoration. Matthew 7.12 asks us to treat others and we would wish to be treated.

Respond:
Gossip is a form of judgement. When we talk negatively about someone when they are absent, we begin to exclude them, belittle them and create disunity. Ask God to help you today to refrain from gossip and judgement of others.

Midday Meditation:
‘The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image.’
(Thomas Merton)

Evening Reflection:
Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing frighten you.
All things pass away:
God never changes.

Patience obtains all things.
Those who have God
Find they lack nothing;
God alone suffices.

 

[RiverOL]

Ready for an Upgrade?

. . . the wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, open to reason,
full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere—James 3:17

A lot of men—not every man—but a lot of us struggle to hold back a harsh and judgmental attitude toward the world around us, sometimes even toward those we love the most. In the rush and charge of life, with the volatility of family, the pressure of work, the friction of the world, we too often give in to snap impulses to anger and criticism. They feel right in the moment, but they never are (Proverbs 14:17). More considered, gentler approaches are always better—less destructive, more effective, more powerful (Proverbs 19:11, 29:11; James 3:13-18).

These impulses also reveal something deeper: our pride. If we’re honest, they come from thinking too highly of ourselves, trusting ourselves too much, trusting our wisdom, our capabilities, and our “ways” too much . . . and thinking too little of those of the people around us. But, “God opposes the proud,” as pride leads only to hurt and separation (James 4:6; Proverbs 16:18).

So, we must take ground in this struggle. We mustn’t let another day, another year, another decade slip by, doing nothing. These impulses are too hard on others. We must allow our guide, God the Holy Spirit, to train us in humility, to be “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).



Confess and repent to God, in prayer. Turn your back on that harsh, judgmental man. Declare that you want to be a different kind of man. Invite God’s training. That’s a bold prayer—so bring a brother (or a few) into the endeavor. Ask him/them to pray for you, speak truth to you, and keep you accountable as God begins to move in your life.

 

[RiverOL]

Solid Foundations
Morning Encounter:
Read:
Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it.

Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you. You can tell what they are by what they do. No one picks grapes or figs from thornbushes. A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. Every tree that produces bad fruit will be chopped down and burned. You can tell who the false prophets are by their deeds.

Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.” But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!”

Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on solid rock. Anyone who hears my teachings and doesn’t obey them is like a foolish person who built a house on sand. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house. Finally, it fell with a crash. When Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were surprised at his teaching. He taught them like someone with authority, and not like their teachers of the Law of Moses.
(Matthew 7.13-29)

Reflect:
As the ‘sermon’ draws to a close, we pick up on several different images – narrow gates that are challenging to get through but lead to life, good trees that can only produce good fruit, our relationship with God at the final judgement and finally houses (lives) built on rock solid foundations. Essentially these images make the same point – hearing Jesus’ words about life in the Kingdom and living as his students or disciples- being people who ‘seek first the kingdom of God’ (Matthew 6.33)

Respond:
Take time today, to go through the whole Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 – 7) and read it as one discourse. These are some of the wisest words ever spoken by the most important person who ever lived.

Midday Meditation:
‘It is one of the major transitions in life to recognise who has taught us, mastered us, and then to evaluate the results in us of their teaching. This is a harrowing task, and sometimes we just can’t face it. But it can also open the door to choose other masters, possibly better masters, and one Master above all.’
(Dallas Willard The Divine Conspiracy)

Evening Reflection:
God blesses those people who refuse evil advice and won’t follow sinners or join in sneering at God. Instead, the Law of the Lord makes them happy, and they think about it day and night. They are like trees growing beside a stream, trees that produce fruit in season and always have leaves. Those people succeed in everything they do.
(From Psalm 1)

 

[RiverOL]

Christianity vs Churchianity

As Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions."1

Francis McNutt, author of the classic book, Healing, and director of Christian Healing Ministries points out how God's answer to the church in one generation can become a problem in the next or in following generations.

McNutt, in one of his monthly news reports, The Healing Line, gave the following example: "In the Old Testament God instructed Moses to set up a bronze serpent on a stick, so that whoever might look at it was healed of a snake-bite during their wanderings in the desert. But then, centuries later, the good, reforming King Hezekiah 'broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made' because the Israelites had started to worship it!"

If we knew how Peter "gave the invitation for people to come to Christ" on the Day of Pentecost when 3,000 people were converted, we would cling to this method religiously and tenaciously. We would even fight over it and allow it to split churches. Fortunately, the New Testament is almost totally silent on methodology. What God is concerned about is our heart—not our methods! As E.M. Bounds said, "Men are looking for better methods. God is looking for better men [and women]."

One of the biggest battles in the church today is over the music and manner of worship. The reality is that God isn't concerned with our method of worship be it contemporary, traditional, or whatever, but with the spirit of our worship—the attitude of our hearts. As Jesus said to the woman at the well when she mentioned the "proper" place to worship, "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."2 Like the brass serpent, when "old traditions or modern methods of worship" become the focus of our worship, we may be going through the motions, but totally missing the point—and missing out on God!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be real and not to get bogged down in traditions or methods that are not relevant, but always be open to the work of your Spirit in my heart and life—and in my church. And please help me to always worship you in spirit and in truth—from the heart. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Mark 7:9 (NIV).
2. John 4:24.